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Despite significant progress in terms of electrical performances and reliability, Protonic Ceramic Cell (PCC) technology faces too many technical hurdles concerning the validation of suitable processes for making large sized cells. Thus, the wet chemical techniques have been evaluated to the preparation of complete protonic ceramic cells from laboratory to industrial scales. According to results, the combination of tape-casting/screen-printing techniques is suitable for the elaboration of larger size planar hydrogen electrode supported PCC up to 50 cm 2 . Using BSCF-based air electrodes, electrochemical performances of a 20 cm 2 -size BaCeZrY-PCC based cell have been reached to 0.15 W/cm 2 at 600 °C and stable during few tens of hours without electrical degradation.

Bifurcating developmental branching morphogenesis gives rise to complex organs such as the lung and the ureteric tree of the kidney. However, a few quantitative methods or tools exist to compare and distinguish, at a structural level, the critical features of these important biological systems. Here we develop novel graph alignment techniques to quantify the structural differences of rooted bifurcating trees and demonstrate their application in the analysis of developing kidneys from in normal and mutant mice. We have developed two graph based metrics: graph discordance, which measures how well the graphs representing the branching structures of distinct trees graphs can be aligned or overlayed; and graph inclusion, which measures the degree of containment of a tree graph within another. To demonstrate the application of these approaches we first benchmark the discordance metric on a data set of 32 normal and 28Tgfβ+/− mutant mouse ureteric trees. We find that the discordance metric better distinguishes control and mutant mouse kidneys than alternative metrics based on graph size and fingerprints – the distribution of tip depths. Using this metric we then show that the structure of the mutant trees follows the same pattern as the normal kidneys, but undergo a major delay in elaboration at later stages. Analysis of both controls and mutants using the inclusion metric gives strong support to the hypothesis that ureteric tree growth is stereotypic. Additionally, we present a new generalised multi-tree alignment algorithm that minimises the sum of pairwise graph discordance and which can be used to generate maximum consensus trees that represent the archetype for fixed developmental stages. These tools represent an advance in the analysis and quantification of branching patterns and will be invaluable in gaining a deeper understanding of the mechanisms that drive development. All code is being made available with documentation and example data with this publication.

Metanephric kidney development is orchestrated by the iterative branching morphogenesis of the ureteric bud. We describe an underlying patterning associated with the ramification of this structure and show that this pattern is conserved between developing kidneys, in different parts of the organ and across developmental time. This regularity is associated with a highly reproducible branching asymmetry that is consistent with locally operative growth mechanisms. We then develop a class of tip state models to represent elaboration of the ureteric tree and describe rules for “half delay” branching morphogenesis that describe almost perfectly the patterning of this structure. Spatial analysis suggests that the observed asymmetry may arise from mutual suppression of bifurcation, but not extension, between the growing ureteric tips and demonstrate that disruption of patterning occurs in mouse mutants in which the distribution of tips on the surface of the kidney is altered. These findings demonstrate that kidney development occurs by way of highly conserved reiterative pattern of asymmetric bifurcation governed by intrinsic and locally operative mechanisms.

Human pluripotent stem cells, after directed differentiation in vitro, can spontaneously generate complex tissues via self-organisation of the component cells. Self-organisation can also reform embryonic organ structure after tissue disruption. It has previously been demonstrated that dissociated embryonic kidneys can recreate component epithelial and mesenchymal relationships sufficient to allow continued kidney morphogenesis. Here we investigate the timing and underlying mechanisms driving self-organisation after dissociation of the embryonic kidney using time-lapse imaging, high-resolution confocal analyses and mathematical modelling. Organotypic self-organisation sufficient for nephron initiation was observed within a 24 hour period. This involved cell movement with structure emerging after the clustering of ureteric epithelial cells, a process consistent with models of random cell movement with preferential cell adhesion. Ureteric epithelialisation rapidly followed the formation of ureteric cell clusters with the reformation of nephron forming niches representing a later event. Disruption of P-cadherin interactions was seen to impair this ureteric epithelial cell clustering without affecting epithelial maturation. This understanding may facilitate improved regulation of patterning within organoids and facilitate kidney engineering approaches guided by cell-cell self-organisation.

Developmental branching morphogenesis establishes organ architecture, and it is driven by iterative interactions between epithelial and mesenchymal progenitor cell populations. We describe an approach for analyzing this interaction and how it contributes to organ development. After initial in vivo cell labeling with the nucleoside analog 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU) and tissue-specific antibodies, optical projection tomography (OPT) and confocal microscopy are used to image the developing organ. These imaging data then inform a second analysis phase that quantifies (using Imaris and Tree Surveyor software), models and integrates these events at a cell and tissue level in 3D space and across developmental time. The protocol establishes a benchmark for assessing the impact of genetic change or fetal environment on organogenesis that does not rely on ex vivo organ culture or section-based reconstruction. By using this approach, examination of two developmental stages for an organ such as the kidney can be undertaken by a postdoctoral-level researcher in 6 weeks, with a full developmental analysis in mouse achievable in 5 months.

We construct face two-colourable triangulations of the graph 2Kn in an orientable surface; equivalently biembeddings of two twofold triple systems of order n, for all n ≡ 4 (mod 12). The biembeddings have a cyclic automorphism and the construction employs index 1 current graphs.

Morphogenesis of the mammalian kidney requires reciprocal interactions between two cellular domains at the periphery of the developing organ: the tips of the epithelial ureteric tree and adjacent regions of cap mesenchyme. While the presence of the cap mesenchyme is essential for ureteric branching, how it is specifically maintained at the tips is unclear. Using ex vivo timelapse imaging we show that cells of the cap mesenchyme are highly motile. Individual cap mesenchyme cells move within and between cap domains. They also attach and detach from the ureteric tip across time. Timelapse tracks collected for >800 cells showed evidence that this movement was largely stochastic, with cell autonomous migration influenced by opposing attractive, repulsive and cell adhesion cues. The resulting swarming behaviour maintains a distinct cap mesenchyme domain while facilitating dynamic remodelling in response to underlying changes in the tip.

International audience; Migration of radionuclides in aqueous system is a matter of great environmental concern due to their acute and long-term toxicity. This study seeks to address the sorption of uranyl on rutile in presence of short-chain aliphatic carboxylic acids by zeta potential analysis and in situ ATR-IR spectroscopy. Point of zero charge of rutile was significantly shifted with the addition of carboxylic acids/uranyl ions separately in solution but it was negligible when organics and uranyl ions were added in the suspension. In situ ATR-IR data for uranyl sorption was evidenced by an absorption band of uranyl as(UO2) at 915 cm−1.

A multi-latin square of order $n$ and index $k$ is an $n\times n$ array of multisets, each of cardinality $k$, such that each symbol from a fixed set of size $n$ occurs $k$ times in each row and $k$ times in each column. A multi-latin square of index $k$ is also referred to as a $k$-latin square. A $1$-latin square is equivalent to a latin square, so a multi-latin square can be thought of as a generalization of a latin square. In this note we show that any partially filled-in $k$-latin square of order $m$ embeds in a $k$-latin square of order $n$, for each $n\geq 2m$, thus generalizing Evans' Theorem. Exploiting this result, we show that there exist non-separable $k$-latin squares of order $n$ for each $n\geq k+2$. We also show that for each $n\geq 1$, there exists some finite value $g(n)$ such that for all $k\geq g(n)$, every $k$-latin square of order $n$ is separable. We discuss the connection between $k$-latin squares and related combinatorial objects such as orthogonal arrays, latin parallelepipeds, semi-latin squares and $k$-latin trades. We also enumerate and classify $k$-latin squares of small orders., Comment: Final version as sent to journal

A defining set of a t-(v,k,λ) design is a subcollection of its blocks which is contained in a unique t-design with the given parameters on a given v-set. A minimal defining set is a defining set, none of whose proper subcollections is a defining set. The spectrum of minimal defining sets of a design D is the set {|M|∣M is a minimal defining set of D}. The unique simple design with parameters 2−(v,k,v−2k−2) is said to be the full design on v elements; it comprises all possible k-tuples on a v set. We provide two new minimal defining set constructions for full designs with block size k≥3. We then provide a generalisation of the second construction which gives defining sets for all k≥3, with minimality satisfied for k=3. This provides a significant improvement of the known spectrum for designs with block size three. We hypothesise that this generalisation produces minimal defining sets for all k≥3.

It is shown that for every admissible order v for which a cyclic Steiner triple system exists, there exists a biembedding of a cyclic Steiner quasigroup of order v with a copy of itself. Furthermore, it is shown that for each n >= 2 the projective Steiner quasigroup of order 2(n) - 1 has a biembedding with a copy of itself. (C) 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Combin Designs 19: 16-27, 2010

We apply a recursive construction for biembeddings of Latin squares to produce a new infinite family of biembeddings of cyclic Latin squares of even side having a high degree of symmetry. Reapplication of the construction yields two further classes of biembeddings.

A defining set of a t-(v, k, λ) design is a subcollection of its blocks which is contained in no other t-design with the given parameters, on the same point set. A minimal defining set is a defining set, none of whose proper subcollections is a defining set. The spectrum of minimal defining sets of a design D is the set {|M| | M is a minimal defining set of D}. We show that if a t-(v, k, λ) design D is contained in a design F, then for every minimal defining set d D of D there exists a minimal defining set d F of F such that $${d_D = d_F\cap D}$$. The unique simple design with parameters $${{\left(v,k, {v-2\choose k-2}\right)}}$$is said to be the full design on v elements; it comprises all possible k-tuples on a v set. Every simple t-(v, k, λ) design is contained in a full design, so studying minimal defining sets of full designs gives valuable information about the minimal defining sets of all t-(v, k, λ) designs. This paper studies the minimal defining sets of full designs when t = 2 and k = 3. Several families of non-isomorphic minimal defining sets of these designs are found. For given v, a lower bound on the size of the smallest and an upper bound on the size of the largest minimal defining set are given. The existence of a continuous section of the spectrum comprising approximately v values is shown, where just two values were known previously.

An experimental circulating water loop has been constructed to study the deposition of hematite particles of average diameter 320 nm on polypropylene pipe walls in the ranges pH 4-11, Re 3300-17,700 at 25 degrees C. Real-time turbidimetric measurements were used to measure the deposited concentrations. Results showed that the deposition rate increased when pH decreased and when the flow rate increased. Adhesion was observed even under repulsive electrostatic conditions (pH GT 7), where the surfaces of hematite and polypropylene were both negative, indicating that the kinetic energy of at least a part of the particles Surpassed the electrostatic repulsive potentials. The experimental Curves Were fitted by a model assuming simultaneous adhesion and removal of particles, leading to adhesion and removal rate constants, whose values depend on pH and flow rate. Removal is negligible below pH 9. (c) 2008 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Deposition of particles from a circulating fluid is a common industrial problem. The experimental methods stated in literature to determine the kinetics of particle adhesion, as well as the parameters which have an effect on this phenomenon are reviewed. The deposition process of rutile (TiO2) particles, as a function of pH and stirring speed, onto glass and stainless steel has been studied using a laboratory set-up. For both materials, the maximum adhesion rate was obtained around pH=3·5–4, in the range where rutile particles are positively charged and wall materials are negatively charged. The increase in stirring speed has led to a decrease in adhesion rate, explained by an increase in the drag force which removes the deposited particles.

Suppose that L is a latin square of order m and P subset of L is a partial latin square. If L is the only latin square of order m which contains P, and no proper subset of P has this property, then P is a critical set of L. The critical set spectrum problem is to determine, for a given m, the set of integers t for which there exists a latin square of order m with a critical set of size t. We outline a partial solution to the critical set spectrum problem for latin squares of order 2(n). The back circulant latin square of even order m has a well-known critical set of size m(2)/4, and this is the smallest known critical set for a latin square of order m. The abelian 2-group of order 2(n) has a critical set of size 4(n)-3(n), and this is the largest known critical set for a latin square of order 2(n). We construct a set of latin squares with associated critical sets which are intermediate between the back circulant latin square of order 2(n) and the abelian 2-group of order 2(n). (C) 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

We construct face two-colourable triangulations of the graph ?$2K_n$? in an orientable surface; equivalently biembeddings of two twofold triple systems of order ?$n$?, for all ?$n \equiv 16$? or 28 (mod 48). The biembeddings come from index 1 current graphs lifted under a group ?$\mathbb{Z}_{n /4} \times \mathbb{K}_4$?. Konstruiramo triangulacije grafa ?$2K_n$? v orientabilno ploskev, ki dopuščajo dvo-barvno barvanje lic oziroma dvojne vložitve dveh dvojnih sistemov trojic reda n za vse ?$n \equiv 16$? ali 28 (mod 48). Dvojne vložitve izhajajo iz tokovnih grafov indeksa 1, dvignjenih z grupo ?$\mathbb{Z}_{n /4} \times \mathbb{K}_4$?.

Topotecan has demonstrated activity in ovarian carcinomas. In order to increase the tumour response rate and to define the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of topotecan, we decided to develop a high-dose phase I regimen supported by stem cell support. High-doses schedules using a 1-day single administration have MTDs of 10.5 (24 h continuous infusion (CI)) or 22.5 mg/m2 (30 min infusion). Five-day CI induces grade IV mucositis at high doses (MTD12 mg/m2). We chose to administer topotecan in a 5-day schedule with a 30 min daily infusion. Patients were scheduled to receive one cycle of therapy. The first dose level was 4.0 mg/m2/day x 5 days. Limiting toxicities were defined as toxic death, grade IV non-haematopoietic or haematopoietic toxicity6 weeks. From August 1998 to April 2002, 49 patients were included. Forty-three patients have completed one course and 15 have received two cycles. One patient treated at level 7 mg/m2/day died of sepsis. Median duration of grade IV neutropenia was 9 days. Two episodes of grade IV diarrhoea were observed at level 9.5 mg/m2/day. Pharmacokinetic data were linear within the dose range of 4-9.0 mg/m2/day. The MTD was reached at 9 mg/m2/day x 5 days.

Let G be a graph in which each vertex has been coloured using one of k colours, say c"1,c"2,...,c"k. If an m-cycle C in G has n"i vertices coloured c"i, i=1,2,...,k, and |n"i-n"j|=

A coordinated initiative for patients with heart failure was planned and implemented across this healthcare system to: (1) incorporate best evidence-based practice to rapidly stabilize the patient, and (2) establish early, coordinated patient education to promote self-care at home with the support of appropriate resources. Length of stay, readmission frequency, ACE inhibitor and beta blocker prescribing patterns at discharge were the outcomes selected for ongoing study and cross-site efforts toward improvement. These outcomes did improve following cross-site implementation with the collaboration of all appropriate disciplines and the coordination of new and existing services to serve this population.

Kidney development is initiated by the outgrowth of an epithelial ureteric bud into a population of mesenchymal cells. Reciprocal morphogenetic responses between these two populations generate a highly branched epithelial ureteric tree with the mesenchyme differentiating into nephrons, the functional units of the kidney. While we understand some of the mechanisms involved, current knowledge fails to explain the variability of organ sizes and nephron endowment in mice and humans. Here we present a spatially-averaged mathematical model of kidney morphogenesis in which the growth of the two key populations is described by a system of time-dependant ordinary differential equations. We assume that branching is symmetric and is invoked when the number of epithelial cells per tip reaches a threshold value. This process continues until the number of mesenchymal cells falls below a critical value that triggers cessation of branching. The mathematical model and its predictions are validated against experimentally quantified C57Bl6 mouse embryonic kidneys. Numerical simulations are performed to determine how the final number of branches changes as key system parameters are varied (such as the growth rate of tip cells, mesenchyme cells, or component cell population exit rate). Our results predict that the developing kidney responds differently to loss of cap and tip cells. They also indicate that the final number of kidney branches is less sensitive to changes in the growth rate of the ureteric tip cells than to changes in the growth rate of the mesenchymal cells. By inference, increasing the growth rate of mesenchymal cells should maximise branch number. Our model also provides a framework for predicting the branching outcome when ureteric tip or mesenchyme cells change behaviour in response to different genetic or environmental developmental stresses.

Multicentric Castleman's disease can mimic adult-onset Still disease. It is exceptionally associated with anasarca, thrombotic microangiopathy and dysautonomia.We report a 32-year-old woman with an association of oligoanuria, anasarca, thrombotic microangiopathy with features compatible with adult-onset Still disease. The outcome was initially favorable with corticosteroids, immunoglobulins and plasmapheresis but with the persistence of relapses marked by severe autonomic syndrome and necessity of high dose corticosteroids. The diagnosis of mixed type Castleman's disease, HHV8 and HIV negative, was obtained four years after the onset of symptoms by a lymph node biopsy. The outcome was favorable after tocilizumab and corticosteroids but tocilizumab had to be switched to anakinra to ensure a proper and long-lasting control of the disease.Our patient partially fits the description of TAFRO syndrome (Thrombocytopenia, Anasarca, myeloFibrosis, Renal dysfunction, Organomegaly), a MCM rare variant, recently described in Japanese patients.

E-cadherin cell-cell junctions couple the contractile cortices of epithelial cells together, generating tension within junctions that influences tissue organization. Although junctional tension is commonly studied at the apical zonula adherens, we now report that E-cadherin adhesions induce the contractile actomyosin cortex throughout the apical lateral axis of junctions. However, cells establish distinct regions of contractile activity even within individual contacts, producing high tension at the zonula adherens but substantially lower tension elsewhere. We demonstrate that N-WASP (also known as WASL) enhances apical junctional tension by stabilizing local F-actin networks, which otherwise undergo stress-induced turnover. Further, we find that cells are extruded from monolayers when this pattern of intra-junctional contractility is disturbed, either when N-WASP redistributes into lateral junctions in H-Ras(V12)-expressing cells or on mosaic redistribution of active N-WASP itself. We propose that local control of actin filament stability regulates the landscape of intra-junctional contractility to determine whether or not cells integrate into epithelial populations. Refereed/Peer-reviewed

In order to evaluate the feasibility of the autologous transfusion in an alloimmunized sickle cell patient, changes in the hematologic and biochemical characteristics of erythrocytes stored for 42 days from two patients with sickle cell SC anemia were compared with control subjects' (Hb A) red blood cells. Erythrocytes were stored in Saline Adenosine Dextrose Mannitol at +4 degrees C. The cryopreservation storage was made and 51Cr red cell survival was measured in one patient. No significant difference in the hematologic and biochemical parameters of the SC red blood cells and the control subjects was observed during the storage at +4 degrees C. Red cell survivals determined in fresh cells, cells stored for 42 days at +4 degrees C and thawed cells from one patient demonstrate much shorter half-life values than those of normal red blood cells. Before application, our results need to be confirmed by the same protocol with another patient with sickle cell SC.

Environmental contaminants harmful to the health of present and future generations involve nuclear fission products as iodine radioisotopes. {sup 129}I is potentially one of the more mobile products because of its long half-life and its tendency to go into solution as an anion that is not retarded with silicate minerals. Ability of copper/cupric compound mixtures to remove iodide from solution was investigated to predict sorption of radioactive iodine in the environment and to assess their use in a nuclear reprocessing method. Thermodynamic calculations were performed to study the stability of such mixtures in solution and to obtain equilibrium constants of Cu(0)/Cu(II)/I{sup {minus}} and Cu(0)/Cu(II)/Cl{sup {minus}} systems. Both calculations and experimental results showed that a Cu(0)/Cu{sub 3}(OH){sub 2}(CO{sub 3}){sub 2} (azurite) mixture selectively uptakes iodide ions (initial concentrations: 10{sup {minus}2} and 10{sup {minus}1} M) in the presence of 10{sup {minus}1} M chloride ions. Reaction of iodide with copper powder and azurite crystal or copper plate and azurite powder have also been investigated, leading to precipitation of CuI onto massive copper phase. The different solids were separately analyzed by XPS and MEB-EDX, giving some insight in the uptake mechanism. It is proposed that soluble copper released by the cupric compound is reducedmore » at the surface of metallic copper, leading to a preferential precipitation of CuI on copper surface.« less

SummaryAlthough kidneys of equal size can vary 10-fold in nephron number at birth, discovering what regulates such variation has been hampered by a lack of quantitative parameters defining kidney development. Here we report a comprehensive, quantitative, multiscale analysis of mammalian kidney development in which we measure changes in cell number, compartment volumes, and cellular dynamics across the entirety of organogenesis, focusing on two key nephrogenic progenitor populations: the ureteric epithelium and the cap mesenchyme. In doing so, we describe a discontinuous developmental program governed by dynamic changes in interactions between these key cellular populations occurring within a previously unappreciated structurally stereotypic organ architecture. We also illustrate the application of this approach to the detection of a subtle mutant phenotype. This baseline program of kidney morphogenesis provides a framework for assessing genetic and environmental developmental perturbation and will serve as a gold standard for the analysis of other organs.

Les hypereosinophilies (HE) ont longtemps ete considerees, a tort, comme un signe biologique mineur, et malheureusement trop souvent attribuees a tort une « allergie » ou une atopie. Deux notions capitales a connaitre guideront la reflexion et la prise en charge d’un patient avec HE, que ce soit en situation aigue d’urgence ou non. La premiere est la possibilite de lesions viscerales directement liees aux polynucleaires eosinophiles (PNE), susceptibles de menacer le pronostic vital, et ce de maniere totalement independante de la cause. La deuxieme concerne bien entendu la necessite d’un bilan etiologique devant toute HE.

Objectifs Le but de notre etude etait d’evaluer la prise en charge des prolapsus genitaux chez les patientes greffees renales. Methodes Nous avons realise une etude retrospective multicentrique incluant les patientes transplantees ayant eu une cure de prolapsus entre 2008 et 2016 en interrogeant tous les centres francais de transplantation renale. L’identification des patientes reposait sur une analyse du PMSI avec les codes CCAM relatifs a la promontofixation. Les criteres etudies etaient l’âge, le BMI, les antecedents, les facteurs de risques et le type de prolapsus selon la classification de Baden et Walker, l’incontinence urinaire associee, le site de la greffe, le type d’anastomose urinaire, le traitement immunosuppresseur, les donnees urodynamiques, le type de chirurgie, les complications selon Clavien et le suivi avec les complications tardives. Resultats Quatorze patientes ont ete identifiees dans seulement 3 des 23 centres. Les caracteristiques cliniques, les details des transplantations et traitements immunosuppresseurs sont exposes dans le Tableau 1 . Le traitement etait une promontofixation (n = 7) (double bandelettes dans 6 cas et uniquement anterieure dans 1 cas) ou une cure de cystocele par voie basse (n = 7) (4 sacrospinofixation, 2 sans prothese, 1 avec prothese synthetique Elevate®). Une seule patiente a presente une complication peroperatoire sans rapport avec la presence du greffon (plaie de vessie par voie basse). Deux complications Clavien 1 ont ete decrites en postoperatoire. Apres un suivi moyen de 24 mois, 2 patientes ont presente une vulvovaginite et 4 ont demasque une incontinence. Il n’y a eu aucune erosion, suppuration chronique, ni ablation de materiel. Aucun prolapsus n’a recidive. Conclusion Dans notre etude, aucune complication en rapport avec le transplant renal ou en rapport avec un defaut de cicatrisation n’a ete rapportee confirmant l’absence de specificite dans la prise en charge du prolapsus des patientes transplantees renales.

The growth of organs results from proliferation within distinct cellular compartments. Organ development also involves transitions between cell types and variations in cell cycle duration as development progresses, and is regulated by a balance between entry into the compartment, proliferation of cells within the compartment, acquisition of quiescence and exit from that cell state via differentiation or death. While it is important to understand how environmental or genetic alterations can perturb such development, most approaches employed to date are descriptive rather than quantitative. This is because the identification and quantification of such parameters, while tractable in vitro, is challenging in the context of a complex tissue in vivo. Here we present a new framework for determining cell turnover in developing organs in vivo that combines cumulative cell-labelling and quantification of distinct cell-cycle phases without assuming homogeneity of behaviour within that compartment. A mathematical model is given that allows the calculation of cell cycle length in the context of a specific biological example and assesses the uncertainty of this calculation due to incomplete knowledge of cell cycle dynamics. This includes the development of a two population model to quantify possible heterogeneity of cell cycle length within a compartment and estimate the aggregate proliferation rate. These models are demonstrated on data collected from a progenitor cell compartment within the developing mouse kidney, the cap mesenchyme. This tissue was labelled by cumulative infusion, volumetrically quantified across time, and temporally analysed for the proportion of cells undergoing proliferation. By combining the cell cycle length predicted by the model with measurements of total cell population and mitotic rate, this approach facilitates the quantification of exit from this compartment without the need for a direct marker of that event. As a method specifically designed with assumptions appropriate to developing organs we believe this approach will be applicable to a range of developmental systems, facilitating estimations of cell cycle length and compartment behaviour that extend beyond simple comparisons of mitotic rates between normal and perturbed states.

We prove that the slope parameter of the ordinary least squares regression of phylogenetically independent contrasts (PICs) conducted through the origin is identical to the slope parameter of the method of generalized least squares (GLSs) regression under a Brownian motion model of evolution. This equivalence has several implications: 1. Understanding the structure of the linear model for GLS regression provides insight into when and why phylogeny is important in comparative studies. 2. The limitations of the PIC regression analysis are the same as the limitations of the GLS model. In particular, phylogenetic covariance applies only to the response variable in the regression and the explanatory variable should be regarded as fixed. Calculation of PICs for explanatory variables should be treated as a mathematical idiosyncrasy of the PIC regression algorithm. 3. Since the GLS estimator is the best linear unbiased estimator (BLUE), the slope parameter estimated using PICs is also BLUE. 4. If the slope is estimated using different branch lengths for the explanatory and response variables in the PIC algorithm, the estimator is no longer the BLUE, so this is not recommended. Finally, we discuss whether or not and how to accommodate phylogenetic covariance in regression analyses, particularly in relation to the problem of phylogenetic uncertainty. This discussion is from both frequentist and Bayesian perspectives.

A defining set of a t-(v, k, lambda) design is a subcollection of its blocks which is contained in a unique t-design with the given parameters. A minimal defining set is a defining set, none of whose proper subcollections is a defining set. The spectrum of minimal defining sets of a design D is the set {|M| | M is a minimal defining set of D}. The unique simple design with parameters is said to be the full design on v elements. This paper studies the minimal defining sets of full designs when t = 2 and k = 3. The largest known minimal defining set is given. The existence of a continuous section of the spectrum comprising asymptotically 9v (2)/50 values is shown. This gives a quadratic length section of continuous spectrum where only a linear section with respect to v was known before., Raybould fellowship; Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TÜBİTAK) Career

Apolipoprotein E (Apo E) is a component of VLDL and HDL and plays a significant role in the regulation of cholesterol concentration. An improvement in isoelectric focusing for Apo E phenotyping is presented: the plasma Apo E was dissociated from lipoproteins by the use of Tween 20; the optimal concentration of type V neuraminidase was determined (1 U/ml); up to 48 samples were analyzed per plate and revealed by immunoblotting. Using this method, we have determined Apo E phenotypes and estimated their association with total cholesterol and Apo B levels in 498 healthy blood donors in Paris (France). The relative frequencies of Apo E alleles epsilon 2, epsilon 3 and epsilon 4 in this population were 0.079, 0.801 and 0.120, respectively. The association between Apo E phenotypes and concentration of Apo B-containing lipoproteins was confirmed (Apo B (g/l): E4/E3 subjects, 1.10 +/- 0.29; E3/E2 subjects, 0.93 +/- 0.22; both significantly different from E3/E3 subjects, 0.99 +/- 0.28). Total cholesterol (mmol/l): E4/E3 subjects, 5.43 +/- 1.15; E3/E2 subjects, 4.79 +/- 0.83; both significantly different from E3/E3 subjects, 5.03 +/- 1.11.

A set-up has been built to study the deposition of hematite on pipe walls of a circulating water loop. The circuit tubing was made of polypropylene, with an exchangeable test section of boehmitized aluminum. Real-time turbidimetric measurements of particles concentration remaining in suspension, led to the amount of deposited hematite. The influence of suspension pH on the deposition process has been investigated under turbulent flow, Re 15600. Results were discussed in light of the surface properties of used materials: hematite, polypropylene, and aluminum. A good agreement between experimental data and DLVO predictions was found; a significant deposition occurred in the pH where hematite and aluminum surfaces were oppositely charged.

Zetametric measurements on suspensions of oxide particles (cobalt ferrite, nickel ferrite, and magnetite) representative of corrosion products from primary circuits of pressurized water reactors were performed at 25 and 70 °C in the presence of lithium and borate species. No effect of lithium ions was observed. Borate species cause a decrease of the isoelectric point (IEP), attributed to the sorption of borate as a negative complex MOB ( OH ) 3 − . A predictive model based on thermodynamic calculations ( 2 -p K and diffuse layer models) of the surface acidity constants from the data of acid–base titrations combined with an empirical relationship between the surface potential Ψ 0 and the ζ potential determined by zetametry was developed. A whole set of parameters valid at 25 °C, in a range of ionic strength between 10−4 and 10 −2 mol L −1 and in a range of pH between 4 and 8, was determined for this model. Increase of temperature to 70 °C in the presence of borate results in a decrease of IEP for cobalt ferrite and an increase of the IEP for nickel ferrite.

We evaluated a natriuretic peptide NT-proBNP assay on total blood, thanks to unit strips read by an apparatus of delocalized biology, the Cardiac Reader (Roche Diagnostics). Using the principle of immuno-chromatography, (with reading of colour intensity) this test measures concentrations of NT-proBNP from 60 to 3.000 pg/mL. The evaluation of this test shows an excellent repeatability, the absence of hook effect for very high values of NT-proBNP, the absence of BNP recognition and a robustness compared to the interferences classically checked: haemolysis and turbidity. The correlation of this total blood assay with a plasmatic assay by electrochemiluminescence of NT-proBNP is excellent, as well at the analytical level as on the level of the respect of the clinical decisional thresholds classically used. The test's analytical qualities make it an interesting alternative to the assay usually practised on automats in central laboratory. Nevertheless, the provision of this assay in delocalized biology (point of care) must be done according to strict rules of use, to take into account certain analytical constraints guaranteeing results of quality, compared to the therapeutic decisions that can result from.

The effect of acid–base titration protocol and speed on pH measurement and surface charge calculation was studied on suspensions of γ-alumina, hematite, goethite, and silica, whose size and porosity have been well characterized. The titration protocol has an important effect on surface charge calculation as well as on acid–base constants obtained by fitting of the titration curves. Variations of pH versus time after addition of acid or base to the suspension were interpreted as diffusion processes. Resulting apparent diffusion coefficients depend on the nature of the oxide and on its porosity.

Management of in-hospital cardiac arrest is now considered as a hospital quality indicator. Such management actually requires training health care workers (HCWs) for basic life support (BLS).To assess the usefulness and efficacy of a short mandatory BLS training course amongst general ward HCWs in a 1,200 bed teaching hospital.The in-hospital medical emergency team (MET) established a 45-min BLS training course comprising 10 goals for basic CPR and preparing for the arrival of the MET. Assessment was based on satisfaction questionnaires, cross-sectional evaluation of knowledge and skills of HCWs before and 1 year after the start of the training course. Efficacy of BLS performed on ward was assessed by the MET on scene.One year after, 68 training sessions had been fulfilled and 522 HCWs had been trained (46.27% of total HCWs). HCWs were satisfied with the teaching course. Instant retention of objectives was over 90%. Cross-sectional surveys showed an improvement of BLS knowledge and skills. The knowledge of initial clinical assessment remained low. Knowledge and skills were significantly higher amongst HCWs who had been trained than amongst those who had not. Unfortunately, general ward BLS performance showed no improvement.Short mandatory training courses are stimulating and well appreciated amongst HCWs. Although basic knowledge and skills improve dramatically, no improvement of on-scene BLS performance occurs.

Ion exchange and surface complexation are the main models used to quantify the sorption processes. Through a multidisciplinary approach, we have shown that the sorption processes are numerous and often do not correspond to simple models. The sorption on hydroxyapatites may proceed, depending on the element, by substitution of superficial species of the solid or by precipitation. On hexacyanoferrates, we can observe ion exchange or formation of new solid phases. On metal oxyhydroxides, the process corresponds to the surface complexation, but several different models of this type can fit the experimental data. Furthermore, slow kinetics, solubility and evolution of the solid, and the presence of impurities can disturb the surface reactivity determination. A better understanding of sorption processes can be achieved by using high-purity materials with controlled structure and morphology, by a multidisciplinary study of sorption mechanisms and by developing more accurate models. Progress in Advanced Materials and Processes, 5th Conference of the Yugoslav-Materials-Research-Society (Yu-MRS 2003), Sep 15-19, 2003, Herceg Novi, Yugoslavia